Texas Rangers Blog

Running game may be key factor in Rangers-Angels series

ANAHEIM, Calif. – The ability – or inability – to stop Los Angeles’ running game may be a huge factor in determining the outcome of the Rangers-Angels series this weekend and could have a big impact on the entire stretch of seven meetings between the teams in the next 13 days.

In Friday’s print edition, Gerry Fraley pointed out the Angels may try to test C Mike Napoli this weekend. Actually, it probably won’t matter who is behind the plate for Texas. The Angels will still try to steal bases. The Angels still run (and we are talking strictly base-stealing here) a lot and are running with a lot more efficiency than in the past. The Rangers are having an awful time trying to stop teams from running. It’s a volatile mix.

Los Angeles is second in the AL in stolen bases with 72 and leads the league in stolen base percentage at 80 percent. (It should be noted that Detroit also has an 80 percent success rate, but has stolen half as many bases as the Angels. The Rangers’ catching tandem, meanwhile, ranks 13th in the league in catch runners. Texas catchers have caught just nine runners in 64 attempts.

In addition, Rangers catchers haven’t thrown anybody out since June 20, a full 30 days. There have been three technical “caught stealings,” but those have all been on a pitcher picking off a runner. It’s a stretch of 16 consecutive successful attempts. In the same time, Los Angeles has stolen 19 bases in 25 attempts. In the previous six meetings, the Angels have been successful on all four of their stolen base attempts vs. Texas, three in one game on June 2 against Torrealba. All three of those steals proved extremely costly. All three scored in a he steals all came in innings in which the Angels scored in a 3-2 win over Texas. All three runners scored in a game the Angels won 3-2.

The Rangers have surrendered as many as three steals four times this season. They are 1-3 in those games. The lone win came against offensively inept Seattle.

Runners have been successful against Napoli in their last 12 attempts and in their last four attempts vs. Torrealba. Torrealba seemed to make some strides in the throwing department during spring training after working on his footwork. He threw out three of the first seven runners who ran against him, but is just 3-for-21 since. Napoli is 3-for-33 for the season.